Is Busy The New Fine? - 7 Ways To Being Less Busy & More Focused

I must admit I had fallen into the trap of believing that if your not busy then your probably idle and wasting time. We live in a society that glorifies the term busy and instills the belief that the busier, the better. These beliefs have also been exemplified by technology that enables us to be plugged in and connected all the time. We watch TV whilst scrolling through our social media newsfeed, then we check WhatsApp to reply to friends and groups, following which we go into our inbox to read any unread emails in between updating our status on Facebook. Our thumbs are healthier than ever and we have become phenomenal at multi-tasking but to what end? We end up exhausted and overwhelmed by this frenetic hustle. We all so 'crazy' busy but what are we actually accomplishing? I have listed 7 ways to escape the busyness syndrome and embrace being more focused, grounded and productive.

1. Get into the habit of completing one thing at a time

This is so much easier said than done, especially for women. We are all trying to find some sort of balance between juggling a million and one things. The ability to tackle one thing at a time means you get to give your attention solely to that thing. Whether its a big project or an important person, being present in the moment allows you to give your best.

2. Cancel a commitment

If you find yourself so busy with ongoing commitments that take up a whole lot of time and effort but not being worth the return then maybe its time to reevaluate where your spending your time. Long, pointless meetings are a number one time waster.

3. Realise its okay to say no without explaining yourself

Being busy is a poor excuse for turning down unexciting invitations, shirking laborious projects and evading socialising. We all know that if you truly care for someone or something that you will make the time to be there. Its important to realise that you can say no without having to explain how you are so busy.

4. Prioritise your to-do list

Focus on the important tasks that need to get done first. This also includes spending quality time with family and friends.

5. Clear your clutter

Just the sight of clutter is enough to send us into stress mode so try to clear a little bit of clutter each day even if its just your work desk. Simplify your surroundings and the productivity will flow.

6. Embrace the fact that idleness is necessary for being productive

Being idle is necessary for the brain because amidst the space and quiet it allows us to stand back from our lives and make pivotal, unexpected connections which I like to call eureka moments. Being busy and rushed clouds our ability to have a clear vision.

7. Remind yourself that time and quiet are not luxury items

With so much noise and so little hours each day, we tend to forget that where we spend our time is actually a choice. Choose how you spend your time wisely.